A standard mass-production machining operation has a plurality of stations spaced apart in a transport direction along a treatment path. There is invariably an input station at the upstream end of the path, an output station at the downstream end of the path, and one or more treatment stations along the path between the input and output stations. Various machine tools, for instance grinding apparatuses, drills, and the like are provided at the treatment stations for working on the workpieces at the stations. Normally these stations are all spaced equidistantly apart along the path and the transport device operates in steps equal to the distance between adjacent stations. Each treatment machine at a treatment station is typically provided with means for gripping and, if necessary, positioning the workpiece as it is treated at the respective station.
In a standard known system the path is an arc, typically of at least part-circular shape, so that the transport device can operate in fact like a turntable or carrousel. The turntable has seats spaced apart by the length of the transport step and set up so as each to hold the respective workpiece as the workpieces are stepped to the downstream stations.
Such an arrangement is a fairly complicated. When there are a great many treatment stations the transport device becomes quite complex. In addition the overall floor space taken up by such a transport device can become extremely large.